Passive integrity management of an implantable device

Abstract

A medical device prosthesis, including a housing and a piezoelectric transducer including a piezoelectric component, wherein the piezoelectric transducer is supported in the housing via at least one spring. In some embodiments, the medical device prosthesis is a bone conduction device, such as a transcutaneous passive or active bone conduction device.

1 . A prosthetic medical device, comprising:
 a housing; and   a piezoelectric component, wherein   the piezoelectric component is supported in the housing via at least one spring, wherein the spring is a Belleville spring.   
     
     
         2 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the spring is a leaf spring.   
     
     
         3 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the spring is a Belleville spring.   
     
     
         4 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the piezoelectric component is directly supported in the housing by the at least one spring.   
     
     
         5 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the medical device is configured to permit the piezoelectric component to move inside the housing beyond that which is due to electricity applied to the piezoelectric component.   
     
     
         6 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the medical device is configured to permit a seismic mass supported by the piezoelectric component to strike a housing wall. 
     
     
         7 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the medical device has a core component about which the piezoelectric component extends, and wherein the piezoelectric component is configured to move along a longitudinal axis of the core as a result of compression of the at least one spring.   
     
     
         8 . The medical device of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the medical device is a bone conduction device;   the piezoelectric component is configured to vibrate in response to a captured sound; and   the medical device is configured such that at least some of the vibrations generated by the piezoelectric component travel from the piezoelectric component to the core via a vibration bridge.   
     
     
         9 . A component of a bone conduction device, comprising:
 a housing; and   a transducer-seismic mass assembly, wherein   the component is configured to enable permanent shock-proofing of the assembly via a coil spring beyond that which results from damping.   
     
     
         10 . The component of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the permanently shock-proofing is a result of the component being configured to automatically at least partially decouple a vibratory path extending from the transducer-seismic mass assembly to the housing upon the hosing experiencing a G force above a certain level.   
     
     
         11 . The component of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the component is configured to automatically reestablish the vibratory path extending from the transducer-seismic mass assembly to the housing upon the hosing being relieved from exposure of the G force above the certain level.   
     
     
         12 . The component of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the transducer-seismic mass assembly includes a counterweight; and   the permanently shock-proofing is a result of the component being configured to enable the counterweight to strike an interior of the housing upon subjecting the housing to a G force that would otherwise break the transducer-seismic mass assembly in the absence of the shock-proofing.   
     
     
         13 . The component of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the transducer-seismic mass assembly includes a piezoelectric bender and one or more counterweights located at ends of the piezoelectric bender;   the component is configured to apply an electrical current to the piezoelectric bender to cause the piezoelectric bender to bend in a vibratory manner, thereby moving the one or more counterweights towards and away from a surface of the housing in a vibratory manner;   the piezoelectric bender is non-rigidly connected to the housing; and   the component is configured such that vibrations from the piezoelectric bender travel therefrom to the housing to evoke a hearing percept.   
     
     
         14 . The component of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the transducer-seismic mass assembly includes a piezoelectric bender and one or more counterweights located at ends of the piezoelectric bender;   the component is configured to apply an electrical current to the piezoelectric bender to cause the piezoelectric bender to bend in a vibratory manner, thereby moving the one or more counterweights towards and away from a surface of the housing in a vibratory manner; and   the piezoelectric bender is springingly clamped within the housing.   
     
     
         15 . The component of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the transducer-seismic mass assembly includes a piezoelectric bender that surrounds a core of a housing; and   the component is configured such that portions of the piezoelectric bender that are directly adjacent the core move in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the core when the piezoelectric bender is subjected to a force greater than ten Newtons in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction, thereby permanently shock-proofing the assembly.   
     
     
         16 . A bone conduction device, comprising:
 a housing; and   a transducer-seismic mass assembly including a piezoelectric component, wherein   the transducer-seismic mass assembly of the bone conduction device is configured to translate in its entirety within the housing when the housing is closed, wherein the seismic mass assembly includes a solid mass that is separate from the piezoelectric component, wherein the mass extends from one side of the piezoelectric component to an opposite side of the piezoelectric component.   
     
     
         17 . The component of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the transducer-seismic mass assembly is supported within the housing by at least two separate springs, both of which are in compression.   
     
     
         18 . The component of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the transducer-seismic mass assembly is in vibrational communication with the housing via a vibration bridge extending from the transducer-seismic mass assembly to the housing and in contact with both the transducer-seismic mass and the housing, wherein the vibration bridge is not secured to the housing or the transducer-seismic mass.   
     
     
         19 . The component of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the transducer-seismic mass assembly is in vibrational communication with the housing via a vibration bridge extending from the transducer-seismic mass assembly to the housing;   the component is configured to force the vibration bridge into full contact with the transducer-seismic mass and vis-a-versa when the transducer-seismic mass is actuated to evoke a bone conduction hearing when subject to less than a 10 G environment; and   the component is configured to enable the transducer-seismic mass to move away from a substantial portion of the vibration bridge when the transducer-seismic mass is subject to an acceleration greater than 20 G in a first direction.   
     
     
         20 . The component of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the component is configured such that the vibration bridge is held against the transducer-seismic mass assembly when the transducer-seismic mass is subject to an acceleration greater than 20 G in a second direction opposite the first direction.   
     
     
         21 - 30 . (canceled)